Justices of the peace are judges who handle both civil and criminal cases, including small claims court, justice court, and administrative hearings. In practical terms, these are lawsuits over debts, evictions, car accidents, unlawful towing, and property.

Their criminal workload involves disposing of all class C criminal misdemeanor complaints, such as traffic citations, issuance of bad check, and others. These cases involve payment, setting contested cases for trial, and pretrial hearings with the county prosecutor.

Other duties include presiding over peace bond hearings, reviewing applications for mental health or chemically dependent commitments, conducting compulsory school attendance trials, and giving warnings to juveniles required by law. They issue warrants for and conduct hearings concerning seizure and disposition of cruelly treated animals. Most justices of the peace perform marriage ceremonies as well.

In Nevada, justices of the peace are local judges who preside over a variety of cases in their jurisdictions. They handle civil matters such as small claims cases, which typically involve disputes over debts, evictions, car accidents, unlawful towing, and property issues. They also oversee justice court cases, which can encompass a broader range of civil disputes, and they may conduct administrative hearings. On the criminal side, justices of the peace deal with class C misdemeanors, including traffic violations, issuing bad checks, and similar offenses. They are responsible for setting payment plans, scheduling trials for contested cases, and holding pretrial hearings in coordination with the county prosecutor. Additionally, their duties extend to peace bond hearings, mental health and substance dependency commitments, enforcing compulsory school attendance, and providing legally required warnings to juveniles. They have the authority to issue warrants and hold hearings related to the mistreatment of animals. Furthermore, many justices of the peace in Nevada perform marriage ceremonies as part of their official functions.